This week we could win Matteo from AWARE7 as Cybersecurity experts for our blog (or more or less forced according to him).
Already at the Startup-Nights last Thursday (15.11.) he gave us exciting insights into the Cybersecurity-Startup-Hotspot Gelsenkirchen and shared basic Best Practices with us. Now we could persuade him to write the advantages of Gelsenkirchen (YES, also Schalke has advantages) for you. Et voilà:
How it all started… #Startup Night
“Hey, don’t you want to tell us something about the StartUp landscape in Bochum and Gelsenkirchen?” -“Na Klar”
That’s how it all started here. Then we were suddenly in the middle of the planning for the StartUp-Nights on 15.11.18 in Bochum in the game and must (=may) still write a blog post. After a short coordination with the second speaker of the evening, Fabian vom Cube5, the presentation and a topic for the blog post was ready. Basically we wanted to introduce the StartUps from the Institute for Internet Security and current projects to give you an insight into the Cybersecurity Community in Bochum & Gelsenkirchen.
Start-up Hotspot for Cybersecurity: Silicon Ruhr Area??
If you think of start-up hotspots in the world, you think of Silicon Valley, London or Shanghai. If you think of centers in Germany, the founding strongholds of Berlin, Hamburg and Munich immediately come to mind. Occasionally, even regions from NRW appear in the media and the start-up community, such as Düsseldorf, Cologne and Münster.
But very few people think of the Ruhr area here. Why? Because exactly HIER IT-Sicherheitstechnologie is developed : An industry which needs young, future-oriented and positive entrepreneurs.
No matter which IT-Sicherheitstechnologie is analyzed, as result frequently shows that the bisherigen products is neither user nor a riser friendly . Here it needs creative heads, which can develop on the one hand highly complex technology, and on the other hand are able to pack these in such a way that a user can start without great training simply.
Here are some companies from Gelsenkirchen and Bochum that we should take a closer look at. The article by Fabian Hoff provides a detailed insight into the Bochum start-ups in this area.
What does Schalke have that the others don’t?
Time for a little story time. Best we start with a little Gelsenkirchener Security Start-up History:
The first successful start-up from the Institute for Internet Security was the finally-safe. A company which develops early warning systems for networks.
Shortly thereafter XignSys, followed with intelligent authentication solutions for the Internet of Things and web applications.
But also in Bochum suddenly more and more spin-offs developed in the area of IT security. For example, the companies were selected VMRay for the identification of malware, Physec for data security in the IoT and RipsTech as a security check for PHP applications. for the identification of malware.
The ecosystem in the Ruhr area is optimal for young companies. With 22 universities and over 400 courses of study, we can proudly point to the densest university landscape in Europe. Thus young enterprises have a low-threshold entrance to young specialists.
Further large Security enterprises in the Ruhr district were established , whereby network effects can be used optimally. As an example here large offerers are to be called like Bosch/escrypt, Secunet, G Data or Rohde and Schwarz like . At least one of the names should be a term for everyone.
Result for Bochum & Gelsenkirchen:
All spin-offs, whether from Bochum or Gelsenkirchen, have one thing in common: they are highly technologized companies that offer a mature range of IT security solutions.
All spin-offs, whether from Bochum or Gelsenkirchen, have one thing in common: they are highly technologized companies that offer mature IT security solutions. This is exactly where we come in with AWARE7.
We want to facilitate an uncomplicated entry into IT security from the Ruhr area and thus represent a local innovation. Together with you, we (on-site or via online training) Sensitization measures with regard to cybersecurity and data protection.
In addition, we test digital products and human factors of IT security through the application of innovative mechanisms and products.
TOP 5 Practical tips for everyone:
As a company that specializes in awareness-raising measures for IT security, we would like to take this opportunity to provide all our readers with at least a few basic best practices.
That’s why we have briefly summarized our best 5 tips for increased IT security here:
- The length counts for the password.
Yes, cybersecurity experts have been preaching this tip for years, but for good reason! Your password should consist of 10+ characters for a minimum of security, but 12 or more are better. And you should never use the same password with more than one provider. Even if it is difficult, always forgive a new one. Tip:Using a password safe can help you if you have problems remembering your passwords.
- External backup protects data from external backups.
Save your data on an external drive. This doesn’t have to be all data, but the most important data for you should be stored on an external storage device (for example a USB stick).
- Updates tend to be GUT.
Main your software up to date, because almost every update closes existing vulnerabilities in the software.
- Nothing in life is free – especially no smartphones.
There’s something lazy about it, many think, when they get the free smartphone or the profit of 1.000 € promised via internet advertisement. And they would be right. These ads are not winnings, but a cheap attempt to get your data. Please NEVER click.
- trust only email attachments of contacts.
A prudent user is the best protection against Internet threats. For example, you should always check whether you know the sender of email attachments first. For example, if you don’t know the sender, don’t enable macros in Word files.
